Background Dental fluorosis has a negative impact on the facial esthetics of adolescents and is a worldwide oral health concern. Objective To assess the prevalence and associated risk factors for dental fluorosis in early adolescents in India. Methods This was a cross-sectional study carried out on 800 adolescent school children selected from the Jhabua and Dhar districts of Madhya Pradesh, India. The children were in the of 12-15-year age group. A total of eight schools from both Jhabua and Dhar districts were included in the study. A self-administered questionnaire collected information on demographic characteristics, oral hygiene practices and various risk factors for dental fluorosis. Water samples were collected from each zone and sent to a laboratory for water fluoride estimation. Dental fluorosis was assessed using the Dean index. Chi-squared (χ2) and logistic regression analysis were performed. Results The overall prevalence of dental fluorosis was found to be 40.5% in early adolescents. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was found to be 45% in the Jhabua district and 36% in the Dhar district. The water fluoride content was found to be the strongest predictor for dental fluorosis followed by the method of water storage. Conclusion Dental fluorosis affects a large number of adolescents in both the Jhabua and Dhar districts of Madhya Pradesh. Effective policies focusing on oral health education and prevention of dental fluorosis need to be drafted.
Keywords: adolescents; cross-sectional; dental fluorosis; risk factors.